One of the best ways to understand Japan’s tea culture is to visit an actual plantation. In this experience we visit a plantation cultivating the highest grades of Japanese tea. We meet the grower who will explain the production techniques used to create the gyokuro and sencha varieties as well as the correct ways to make a cup of tea. There are subtle differences for each variety – such as the temperature and quantity of water, the quantity of tea leaves and actual brewing time – in order to achieve the perfect balance of umami and astringency in the final cup.